


Rubeus Hagrid and the Werepups under the Bed

by Wytchboy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter), Poverty, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:01:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27524254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wytchboy/pseuds/Wytchboy
Summary: "Big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls… Tom Riddle Jr – Chamber of Secrets"
Kudos: 3





	1. Very Bad News

**Author's Note:**

> I'm uploading this now to get it out into the world and to get feedback. If you are interested in beta reading please let me know and point out anything my dyslexia mix up! :)

Rubeus Hagrid was heading towards the Forbidden Forest through the Entrance hall and trying his best to remain unnoticed, if he was casual enough he could be mistaken as particularly stocky Seventh year despite his chubby red cheeks. Pretending to study the suits of armor lining the hall, Rubeus dug through his faded black book bag while edging towards the large front doors.  
He wouldn’t have to be too sneaky tonight as most of the student body were loudly enjoying the roast dinner provided by the Hogwarts House Elves but he was still careful to be facing away from the Great halls open doors; if anyone had glanced up they would only have seen tightly curled black hair that was almost as wild as he was, cut short.

After all he was supposed to be eating with the rest of the students but he wasn’t feeling too well after cracking yet another desk in class while practising his spell casting waves. Wrestling with the mountain trolls in the forest would make him feel better and they wouldn't be around much longer because they were migrating through to find cooler temps for their breeding season.  
Casually leaning against the wall and inspecting the patch job on the knees of his uniform pants he took a deep breath of the cool air of the grounds flowing in from the doors and made a note to re-reinforce the stitching. Alright! That was probably enough dawdling, with everyone scarfing down dinner he could head out early. 

Grinning he pushes off the wall and takes a few more quiet steps towards the beckoning night and froze in place as he hears the clicking heels and early Christmas time humming of deputy headmaster Dumbledore echoing his way.  
‘Ah… Mr Hagrid” smiled Professor Dumbledore, coming to a stop next to him and casting his twinkling gaze out the distant twilight forest that called so sweetly to Rubeus “if you could follow me please? Headmaster Dippet would like to speak with you.” 

Oh no, this was about the broken toilet on the third floor wasn’t it? 

“Um, ‘Course Professor” he smiled weakly and rubbed the side of his jaw where the newly emerging stubble was making his face itch, constantly. Following Professor Dumbledore past the noisy Great Hall and towards the Headmasters guard gargoyle Rubeus made sure he was keeping in step with the elderly wizard as he admired the mans bright yellow robes.  
Shifting his book bag on this shoulder, Rubeus headed up the secret spiral staircase two at a time, leaving Professor Dumbledore chatting with a portrait of some weird ancient wizard. 

\-----------------------------------Some Time Later------------------------------------

The grinding of the stone gargoyle opening the exit sounded so quiet to Rubeus, who could barely hear over the sound of his throbbing heart and gasping breath. How could this have happened? He stumbled on the last step, alerting the waiting figure of Albus Dumbledore of his presence. Glancing up from his conversation Dumbledore falls silent at Rubeus’ red and puffy eyes, his tear soaked uniform shirt. 

The sight of worry on Dumbledore’s wrinkled face got Rubeus to choke out “Me Da…” as he rubbed fists across his burning eyes.  
Understanding. Dumbledore’s  
“Ah,”said Dumbledore, the twinkling in his eyes dying down “I’m terribly sorry to hear that my boy.” Reaching up to pat the young teen on his bicep he continued, “should you need help in this trying time don’t hesitate to reach out to Hogwarts.” 

It was hard to swallow. It was hard to breathe. He couldn’t breathe! As his shoulders started to shake, Rubeus gasped and choked, spluttering wordlessly. He felt the momentary touch of a wand against this straining throat and then an alien coolness spreading out, opening his airways and letting out the aching sobs trapped under his breastbone. Rubeus could feel Dumbledore grasp at his elbows but there was no way the professor could have held him upright as he crumbled to the stone floor, howling.


	2. Heading Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After hearing the bad news about his Fathers death, Rubeus Hagrid heads home for the funeral escorted by uncaring bankers.

He was alone in his room  
He was always alone in his room, after the other boys got their parents to write in to Headmaster Dippet and slept in the common room until they didn’t have to share with him anymore back in 1st year.   
But right now he felt more alone than ever, as he packed some clothes into his book bag to take home. Rubeus had to take a break, sitting on the edge of his creaking bed and rubbing at the hard ache in his chest. How could this have happened? 

Da had been sick over Easter break, and looked so small in the bed while Rubeus cooked him up some nice chicken soup. The Flu hit the village really hard that year and it was definitely dangerous but he’d got better! He was better before Rubeus even left for school this year and saw him off at the station with a happy wave and a few sneaky tears.   
Headmaster Dippet said it wasn’t the Flu that killed his Da though, just made his lungs weaker. Da promised him he’d go to St Mungos about the rattling sounds. He promised! What happened? 

A knock on the door snapped Rubeus out of his thoughts, and he shoved the last few socks into the bag as he headed to open the door. There stood Tom Riddle; the coolly distant and always perfect Slytherin prefect. Riddle sighed at the sight of Rubeus’ disheveled hair and missing tie.   
“Its time to go Hagrid, follow me” said Riddle dispassionately, turning and beginning to walk away down the corridor. Hurriedly Rubeus pulled closed the door and hiked his bag up, scurrying after Riddle as well as someone his size could scurry. Easily catching up with the older teen, Rubeus tried not to sniff too loudly as he wiped at this wet cheeks. 

“Tanks for comin’ to get me Tom” croaked Rubeus, staring up at the ceiling buttresses to avoid catching Riddle’s eye; not that he was looking at Rubeus of course. A cold breeze made Rubeus shiver as Riddle glared over and snapped out  
“I shouldn’t expect you to know appropriate manners. It’s Riddle, understand? I’m the Head Boy. Either address me as Riddle or do not address me, do you understand?”  
“Right, yeah I got it. ’m sorry" Rubeus stumbled over his words and his own feet avoiding the icy glare of Head Boy Tom Riddle. Following silently behind Riddle, Rubeus headed out of the school and towards the waiting horseless carriage that would take him to the Hogsmede station. 

\-------------------------Some Time Later-----------------------------

Sitting in the otherwise empty train as it pulled away from Hogsmede, Rubeus tried to stretch out his legs in the limited space between compartment seats and get comfortable for the long, lonely trip. The warm sun through the train windows and the long night of crying, along with the rocking of the trains movement began to lull Rubeus into a sleepy state. Patting his over stuffed bag a few times, he used it as a pillow as he curled up and rested his tired eyes for just a moment. 

The slowed rocking of the train and louder surroundings brought Rubeus to a dry mouthed and crusty eyed awakening nine hours later as the train closed in on Central Station, London. Stuffing some fallen socks back into his bag, Rubeus stretched the kinks out of his back and slapped the roof of the compartment just because he could. Then he sighed, showing off his reach was a lot less fun without his dad to laugh about it and pout at his own littleness. 

The platform of 9 3/4 was empty and still except for the billowing steam of the Hogwarts Express and three men by the exit pillar all wearing gray stripped suits and exuding a business like aura. Swallowing down the lump of fear in his throat, Rubeus headed towards the strange men sent to escort him home; Misters McLaggen, Nott and Cresswell, who without speaking more than necessary bustled him out of the magical station and onto another train. It would be another few hours before they got to the village and part of Rubeus was aching to be home and the rest was aching with sadness at the goodbye looming closer. Which meant all of him ached and that it was probably a bad idea to sleep on a too small train compartment seat for nearly nine straight hours. 

The muggles around him on the train didn’t pay much attention to Rubeus and bankers escorting him were all silently reading newspapers, allowing Rubeus time to grow more fearful of the sight awaiting him. He was going to have to see his tiny father looking littler and more still then ever before, and he was going to have to say goodbye. Rubeus only noticed his breath turning to gasps when the closest banker; Mr McLaggen, cleared his throat and loudly rustled his newspaper. Shifting in his seat, Rubeus clasped his hands together and gripped tightly while staring at his feet. He already stood out enough, bawling in public on a train would be far too embarrassing. 

By the time the train pulled into the village station it was well past midnight and Rubeus’ knuckles were white with the amount of pressure he was gripping them with, to stop the shaking in his shoulders from overtaking his whole body. The walk out to where his house was out on the edge of the forest took longer than he would have thought, apparently bankers weren’t used to a lot of walking. 

He stopped at the front gate of his childhood home and looked up at the old house blankly.   
Mr Cresswell began to speak:   
“Well Mr Hagrid, we will see you at 9 am tomorrow morning and accompany you to the viewing-”   
He couldn’t do this conversation, he had to leave. Pushing the gate open he began to stumble away from the man as he continued. “-and will return here after the burial to discus things.”   
Stopping at the front door he reached up to the hidden key and to breath in the scent of his fathers garden. He could smell the mint and lilac on the night breeze as he pressed his forehead to the rough wood and listened to the sounds of the bankers leaving.   
Scoffing and scuffing their shoes in the dirt, then three sharp cracks as they Apparated away leaving him alone once again. 

He spent the night on his fathers smaller bed, face pressed as deeply into a tear soaked pillow as he could.


	3. A Very Bad Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rubeus says goodbye and gets more bad news.

Bright morning sun filtered through the curtains in his Da’s room, as three sharp knocks sounded at the front door.  
Looking at the small clock on the wall in the hall, Rubeus was confronted by the time. Oh no, so soon. Straightening the rumbled uniform he slept in, Rubeus opened the door for the bankers and ushered them into the cosy lounge room while he went to change into his best and least stretched uniform. He scrubbed his face clean and scraped a comb through his short, tangled hair.  
He wanted to look his best for Da. 

Sitting in the chair his Da had carved especially for him, with thickly stuffed cushions and a really tall back, Rubeus laced up his school shoes. McLaggen, Nott and Cresswell hadn’t sat down and were standing in the centre of the room waiting for him, looking around at the squashy cushions with their knitted covers with clear disdain. Scowling, Rubeus knotted his laces tightly and stood to his full height.  
“Righ’ le’s go” he growled, gesturing sharply towards the door and startling the adults into moving. 

Rubeus set the pace towards the village, a faster one than the bankers would be comfortable with but he was so angry. Angry that these strangers would come into his home and scoff at the stuff his Da put do much work into and angry that the worst day ever was being witnessed by such stuck up paper pushers. He was even angry at the passing villagers who carefully they kept their distance, as he strode down the streets towards the villages funeral home. 

He came to a sudden stop at the sight of the building itself however, all previous anger draining from his body so fast he felt faint. The sounds of business appropriate shoes clattering on the pave stones coming up behind him faded out as the door of the funeral home was opened and his vision tunneled down. Past the kind director inviting him in, past the curtained arch, he could see straight back chairs facing away and he knew what they were facing towards. 

He found himself standing in front of his Da, staring down at the sleeping face of the kindest man he had ever known. There were other people here too; to pay their respects, but he couldn’t hear them. They were a quiet murmur behind him but he couldn’t tear his eyes away. Reaching out with trembling hands he cupped his Da’s cheeks and pressed a kiss to his cold forehead, it was just the way he remembered Da doing. It was the way he said goodbye every September at the train station and before that everyday when he left for work. Now it was Rubeus’ turn to say goodbye. 

The funeral was cold despite the bright sunlight, a cold that made you shiver and hurt down to the bone. The walk back home was cold too and he as he sat in his Da’s special made chair in their cosy living room he couldn’t stop the shivers overtaking him. Nott and Cresswell made themselves comfortable, while McLaggen spread papers across nearly every surface and their droning voices made Rubeus feel even colder. Numbly he sat and listened as these strangers talked about processing fees and inheritance laws. 

Silent tears began to pool in Rubeus’ eyes as the bankers informed him that despite his fathers Will being clear the Ministry was even clearer on non-human inheritance rights. That they didn’t have any inheritance rights that is, and therefore his Da’s stuff and house would be claimed by the Ministry and probably sold off. The sounds of papers being packed away brought Rubeus back to the present in time to learn that Hogwarts had allowed a week of mourning before he was expected to return to the school. That they had been instructed to return at the end of the week and escort him back to Platform 9 3/4 and he was going to be staying here alone for that time to say goodbye to the house. 

He sat in the chair his Da had carved just for him and cried while the bankers let themselves out of the house and locked the door behind them. He hugged a cushion with its knitted cover his Da had knitted up one winter when he was really young, and cried for his Da and the memories in this house and for his own future. He cried until he ran out of tears and fell into an exhausted sleep.


	4. Coming to terms...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rubeus Hagrid is grieving the recent loss of his father.

It was late the same day when he woke with a pounding headache with a creased face from where it had been awkwardly against the wood frame of the chair. Stumbling to the kitchen Rubeus drank double cupped handfuls of lukewarm water from the kitchen sink tap until his stomach sloshed uncomfortably. Then he splashed water over his face and scrubbed the bleary eyed feeling away; leaning against the sink in the small brightly tiles kitchen, with water dripping down his stubbly face to his shirt front. 

Sliding down the cupboards to the floor Rubeus pressed his clammy face into the cool tiles and sighed deeply. The house was so quiet and felt so empty without the presence of the one tiny man that made it a home. Nearly an hour passed as Rubeus lay heartsick on the kitchen floor until he was surprised by the feeling of a slight hunger; he hadn’t felt hungry for a while. Shame at feeling hungry on the day of his Da’s funeral swamped him, for something so basic and everyday to be demanding his attention on such an important and horrible day felt like a betrayal. 

But his Da would want him to look after himself. After all Da was always looking after anyone who needed it no matter if they weren’t the richest and didn’t have the most room everyone knew that if you needed a meal, the Hagrid house would have a hot one for you anytime. Though not many folks took up that offer, Da always made big dinners and lots of comfort food just in case. 

Pushing himself into a sitting position Rubeus remembered all the chopping and peeling he had done with his Da and all the ways they made garden grown vegetables and foraged food stretch far enough for Da, his own growing self and spare besides; there were always leftovers stored away in the charmed to be cool pantry. Searching thought the cold cupboard he scrounged up a small bounty and sitting on the floor Rubeus began to gnaw through a loaf of crusty bread and a hunk of cheese, scoffing it down as he got hungrier after the first small, hesitant bites.

Questions about his future began to swim though his mind as Rubeus pulled himself to his feet and began filling the tea kettle; once he returned to Hogwarts he would be housed and fed till summer break but what would he do then? Where would he go ? He couldn’t come home after all, was there an orphanage or something for teenagers? What about after graduation? Well, now was not the time to worry about graduation and he had most of the school year left before summer break. Maybe he would write a letter to Professor Dumbledoor and ask for advice. 

But for now Rubeus leaned on the kitchen sink and stared out at the night falling slowing across the garden and the swaying plants while waiting for the kettle to boil. He took his tea; heavily sweetened, to sit on the back step. Absently eating one of the last rock cakes his Da had ever made he watched it get darker until the cold night air drove him inside and into bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapters will be added within the week!


	5. Into the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saying goodbye to his memories Rubeus is heading to more trouble than he is prepared for.

Waking up late on the third day after his Da’s death, Rubeus started towards the kitchen to find some breakfast, taking the time to gaze at the photographs on the hallway walls and run his hands over the smooth carved wood and knitted blankets. 

He took down two photographs on the way, one of his 8th birthday with him grinning hugely at the enchanted camera and his Da waving and laughing from were Rubeus had just lifted him to the top of the wardrobe and the other the only photograph they had of his mother; with Rubeus looking incredibly small in her giantess arms. He was hopeful that the bankers would be kind enough to allow him to take just these though they had said before he could legally inherit nothing. 

Eating on the back steps again he stared out past where their garden slowly mixed in and became forest, remembering all the trips hed taken with his Da to go hunt and forage for all kinds of forest foods.

Wandering the garden in a daze, Rubeus ran his hands over the plants he passed them releasing their scent as he headed towards the forest. The further Rubeus went the more shadows loomed over head and the soft herbs under his hand turned to prickly blackberry bushes. Following the paths he and Da had always started with, Rubeus headed deeper into the forest; sticking to the trails but getting lost in memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter this time, I'm having some trouble with my ADHD but the next chapter should still be posted within the week!


End file.
